World No.1 India script a 87-run win
Durban: World No.1 India stayed alive in the three-match series with a 87-run series levelling win over South Africa in the second cricket Test here on Wednesday.
Chasing a target of 303, South Africa were bowled out for 215 and lost the match in four days at the Kingsmead Stadium. It was also the Proteas' third consecutive defeat here. Ashwell Prince remained unbeaten on 39.
Resuming at overnight score of 111 for three, South Africa added only 12 runs before losing the key wicket of Jacques Kallis, who failed to pull himself away from Sreesanth's bouncer and gloved it to Virender Sehwag.
He was caught in the gully for 17 in the eighth over of the day and despite a valiant unbeaten 39 from Ashwell Prince they were all out for 215.
Only twice had a 300-plus victory target been achieved at the Durban ground, with the highest being 340 made by South Africa against Australia in 2002.
A third score looked highly unlikely when Kallis was surprised by a vicious, virtually unplayable ball from Sreesanth that reared up from a length, fizzed into his glove as he fended it away from his throat and looped gently to Virender Sehwag at gully.
AB de Villiers was lbw to one from spinner Harbhajan Singh that straightened from around the wicket. Replays suggested the ball would have gone over the stumps, but with no review process in place the South Africans had to face up to the loss of their fifth wicket, with 167 still needed.
Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan trapped Mark Boucher on the pad but the ball appeared to be missing off-stump, although Australian umpire Steve Davis thought otherwise and gave the wicketkeeper out for just one.
The first boundary of the day did not arrive until the 17th over of the session when Dale Steyn edged Harbhajan past slip.
Steyn added another four to third man off Zaheer, but the left-armer took his revenge when after softening him up with a series of bouncers he produced a ball that moved away from the around the wicket and received a loose drive that flew to the first of two gullies.
Last man Lonwabo Tsotsobe was then dismissed first ball when his defensive push was sharply collected by Cheteshwar Pujara at short-leg and his rapid throw and direct hit saw the big left-arm seamer short of his ground.
Having lost the first Test in Centurion by an innings and 25 runs it was an impressive performance from Dhoni's team, India's first win in four attempts at Kingsmead and only their second Test victory in 14 matches in South Africa.
Durban: World No.1 India stayed alive in the three-match series with a 87-run series levelling win over South Africa in the second cricket Test here on Wednesday. Chasing a target of 303, South Africa were bowled out for 215 and lost the match in four days at the Kingsmead Stadium. It was also...
Durban: World No.1 India stayed alive in the three-match series with a 87-run series levelling win over South Africa in the second cricket Test here on Wednesday.
Chasing a target of 303, South Africa were bowled out for 215 and lost the match in four days at the Kingsmead Stadium. It was also the Proteas' third consecutive defeat here. Ashwell Prince remained unbeaten on 39.
Resuming at overnight score of 111 for three, South Africa added only 12 runs before losing the key wicket of Jacques Kallis, who failed to pull himself away from Sreesanth's bouncer and gloved it to Virender Sehwag.
He was caught in the gully for 17 in the eighth over of the day and despite a valiant unbeaten 39 from Ashwell Prince they were all out for 215.
Only twice had a 300-plus victory target been achieved at the Durban ground, with the highest being 340 made by South Africa against Australia in 2002.
A third score looked highly unlikely when Kallis was surprised by a vicious, virtually unplayable ball from Sreesanth that reared up from a length, fizzed into his glove as he fended it away from his throat and looped gently to Virender Sehwag at gully.
AB de Villiers was lbw to one from spinner Harbhajan Singh that straightened from around the wicket. Replays suggested the ball would have gone over the stumps, but with no review process in place the South Africans had to face up to the loss of their fifth wicket, with 167 still needed.
Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan trapped Mark Boucher on the pad but the ball appeared to be missing off-stump, although Australian umpire Steve Davis thought otherwise and gave the wicketkeeper out for just one.
The first boundary of the day did not arrive until the 17th over of the session when Dale Steyn edged Harbhajan past slip.
Steyn added another four to third man off Zaheer, but the left-armer took his revenge when after softening him up with a series of bouncers he produced a ball that moved away from the around the wicket and received a loose drive that flew to the first of two gullies.
Last man Lonwabo Tsotsobe was then dismissed first ball when his defensive push was sharply collected by Cheteshwar Pujara at short-leg and his rapid throw and direct hit saw the big left-arm seamer short of his ground.
Having lost the first Test in Centurion by an innings and 25 runs it was an impressive performance from Dhoni's team, India's first win in four attempts at Kingsmead and only their second Test victory in 14 matches in South Africa.
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